CALEDONIA, Mich. - The Davenport baseball team erupted for 31 runs on Saturday in a doubleheader sweep against Purdue Northwest. The Panthers scored a 13-0 win in game one and then won 18-9 in game two. Davenport has won five in a row for the third time this season and have won eight of their last nine to improve to 21-11 overall and 8-7 in the GLIAC. With the four-game sweep of the Pride, DU is now a half game behind Northwood and Purdue Northwest for third place in the conference. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers shut out the Pride for the second time over the weekend in game one. DU scored three runs in the first inning to gain early momentum. Jacob Buchberger, Noah Marcoux and Jimmy Filipski doubled in the inning and Kamrin Markwardt had an RBI groundout. Brandon Haczynski entered the game with the second-best earned run average in the GLIAC before but it was all over he gave up seven earned runs (nine total) in four innings on 11 hits.

The Panthers scored once in the second and then broke it open with five runs in the fourth and four in the fifth. Nolan Bryant had an RBI double in the fourth followed by a Travis Harvey RBI single. Filipski also doubled to right center for a pair of runs driven in. Justin Walter replaced Haczynski in the fifth for the Pride and gave up four runs on four hits in the fifth. Marcoux had an RBI single and later Filipski hit a single to center for an RBI and the ball eluded the center fielder going all the way to the wall as Filipski scored on the play.

James Rogers gave his team six solid innings as the Pride stranded nine runners on base. He improved to 5-1 this season allowing six hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Joe Stranz got his second appearance of the season in the seventh and preserved the shutout.

Davenport scored 18 runs on 17 hits for an encore in game two. Purdue Northwest took a 1-0 lead in the first marking the first time the Panthers trailed in the series. It was short-lived as DU scored three times in the bottom of the first. Harvey had a sacrifice fly to plate the first run and Filipski tripled home another run and scored on the play from a throwing error trying to get him out at third.

 Gaetano Vallone got the start and went four innings allowing just the first inning run. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. Leading 4-1 heading into the fifth, the Pride came back to tie the game at 4-4 against Michael Lincoln. He recorded two outs and gave up four hits before Pete Zeimis came in and got the final out of the inning with the bases loaded.

Just when it looked like it was going to be a close one in the series finale, the Panthers scored eight times in the bottom of the fifth to lead 12-4. Buchberger hit a one-out, solo jack to left which was his team-leading eighth of the season. Filipski continued his hot day with two RBI on a single that just got through the infield between shortstop and third. Alex Huard had an RBI single and then stole second which ended the day for Alex Batisatos. He took the loss (2-2) going 4.1 innings and gave up nine earned runs with three walks and six strikeouts. Garrett Wiggs took his spot on the mound and walked the next two guys. Brent Showers delivered a two-run single to add to the lead.

The Panthers finished by scoring two runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Jake Bozzo had an RBI single and Hunter Ruhstorfer an RBI triple in the sixth. Marcoux had an RBI triple and Filipski had an RBI double in the seventh. Damion Pompey had an RBI single and Markwardt scored on a wild pitch in the eighth. 

Pete Zeimis earned the win (2-1) going 2.1 innings. Spencer Vainavicz tossed one scoreless inning and fanned one in the eighth. Filipski drove in four runs going 3-for-5 in game two. He also went 3-for-4 with four RBI in game one.

GAME NOTES
DU is now 8-0 against Purdue Northwest and have scored double-digit runs in six of those contests. The fewest they have scored in a game against the Pride is eight. Buchberger finished the series going 12-of-16 at the plate with 10 runs, two doubles, two home runs and four RBI. Marcoux batted .529 with two doubles, two home runs and led the team with nine RBI. Filipski batted .500 with five runs and drove in eight runs. The Panthers batted .440 as a team and outscored the Pride, 55-16. 

ON DECK
The Panthers will have a shorter week due to Easter next Sunday and will play a four-game set against Northwood beginning on Thursday, April 18. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.